1 Corinthians 14:1-25 - Using Your Gifts to the Max!

"Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts...for strengthening, encouragement, and comfort...so that the church may be edified. Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? ...try to excel in gifts that build up the church... I thank God that I speak in tongues... But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in tongues... But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in...he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!"

Ok, so as you read this passage, bear in mind that I have paraphrased a lot of this passage to hit the main points of what Paul is trying to emphasize here. My devotional today is about the importance and advantage of using our gifts in the church and why.

Based on the summary passage above I gather 4 things in regards to spiritual gifts:
1) The best gift that we could ever use as a believer is the gift of love. Whatever we do in this life, if love for people is not at the root of our motives, it is pointless.
2) One of the greatest things taking advantage of our spiritual gifts does is edifying (building up) the church to "strengthen, encourage, teach, and comfort."
3) By using our spiritual gifts, they allow us to praise and worship God, in thankfulness. And through this, people will see God's power and worship God as well.
4) As many different types of gifts a church has the better off they are to reach out, bring unbelievers to Christ and "make disciples."

God moves when we use our gifts for His purpose. What are your gifts? Have you figured them out? Are you using them for your own benefit or for the benefit of God and His kingdom?